13-Year-Old Hebron Boy Dies After Crash at Hobart BMX Track

Teen Rider Dies After Incident at Hobart BMX Facility

On Saturday, January 31, 2026, 13-year-old Oliver Ball-Reed of Hebron, Indiana, was injured in a crash while riding on a BMX track at Steel Wheels BMX in Hobart, Indiana. He was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in Hobart, where an emergency room doctor pronounced him dead just before 10 p.m. that evening.

The Lake County, Indiana, Coroner's Office reported that Ball-Reed was hurt while riding at the track on Saturday evening. The coroner's office was called to St. Mary's Medical Center shortly before 10:30 p.m. After examining the case, officials determined that he died of multiple blunt force injuries and ruled his death an accident.

Emergency Response and Initial Actions

According to Hobart Fire Chief Enrique Lopez, Hobart police and firefighters, along with the Portage Fire Department, responded to the crash at Steel Wheels BMX. Lopez said that when emergency crews arrived, bystanders were already performing CPR on Ball-Reed.

Lopez stated that, based on reports from bystanders, Ball-Reed went over a berm and fell, resulting in a crash. Lopez also said that emergency crews have responded to accidents at the same location in the past, including falls and injuries such as sprained ankles and broken legs, but not incidents as severe as the one that led to Ball-Reed's death.

Coroner's Findings and Official Statements

The Lake County Coroner's Office concluded that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and classified the manner of death as accidental. As of the time of the report, officials had not released detailed information about the specific circumstances that caused Ball-Reed's injuries and death.

A statement shared on social media regarding Ball-Reed's death said that he sustained critical injuries at the track on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The statement noted that his parents are Mary and Phil and that he had a younger brother, Ellis, with whom he had raced for the past eight years.

School and Community Impact

In a statement, the superintendent of Hebron Middle School described Ball-Reed as a 13-year-old student who was involved in basketball, esports, and student council at the school. The superintendent said it had been a heavy day for the middle school and the wider district following news of his death.

By Monday, a small memorial for Ball-Reed had formed outside the BMX track in Hobart. Chief Lopez noted that firefighters and paramedics who responded to the scene were also grieving following the incident.

Details About the BMX Facility

Steel Wheels BMX is described as a volunteer, non-profit organization that provides BMX racing and riding opportunities in Northwest Indiana. According to the organization's website, it was founded in 2000 by a group of parents who wanted a place for children to ride bikes in an extreme fashion in a safe environment.

The organization operates two USA BMX-approved tracks. The track in Hobart, where Ball-Reed was injured, is an indoor track. The second facility, called Imagination Glen Outdoor, is an outdoor track located in Portage, Indiana.